Computer systems may include different resources used by one or more host processors. Resources and host processors in a computer system may be interconnected by one or more communication connections. These resources may include, for example, data storage systems, such as the Symmetrix™ or CLARiiON™ (also referred to herein as Clariion) family of data storage systems manufactured by EMC Corporation. These data storage systems may be coupled to one or more host processors and provide storage services to each host processor. An example data storage system may include one or more data storage devices, such as those of the Symmetrix™ family, that are connected together and may be used to provide common data storage for one or more host processors in a computer system.
The data storage systems are also known as data storage arrays because they typically contain a plurality of disk drives, each of which generates a significant amount of heat which must be removed from the disk drive and the surrounding circuitry in an expedient fashion. Failure to do so has been shown to lead to reduced reliability or component failure. Fans are typically employed to create forced air to remove such heat from the system. As the disk drives get smaller and their storage capacity increases, the crowding of components and the mechanical and electrical activity associated with storing and retrieving data in such tightly compacted environments has lead to challenges in maintaining adequate drive temperatures.
It may be necessary to continue using larger disk drives while smaller drives are being phased in and in so doing the various geometries due to the different sizes may create a non-uniform impedance to air flow that could adversely affect the temperatures of some of the drives. It would be an advancement in the art to provide a way for removing heat from a data storage system including a plurality of disk drives, including disk drives of various sizes, such as smaller ones being used along side of larger ones, for example 2.5 inch format disk drives along side of 3.5 disk format disk drives.